Oates, 49, is a five-time All-Star who spent six of his 19 NHL seasons with the Capitals.

He replaces former teammate Dale Hunter, who decided not return after less than a season behind the Caps' bench.

Hunter took over when Bruce Boudreau was fired and led the Caps to a first-round playoff win over the defending Stanley Cup champion Boston Bruins. After the Capitals' seven-game loss to the New York Rangers, Hunter opted to return to OHL London, the Canadian juniors team he owns.

Now, the Capitals are replacing him with a member of the staff that eliminated the Rangers in the following round.

Oates spent the last two seasons as an assistant for the Eastern Conference champion New Jersey Devils, where he earned credit for helping star winger Ilya Kovalchuk blend offensive dynamism with increased defensive responsibility.

Rick Tocchet, a former teammate who had Oates on his staff with the Tampa Bay Lightning, emphatically recommended that the Caps hire him.

“He’s not a rah-rah guy. He’s not going to stand up and give you a Knute Rockne speech. But he’s a man’s man and a pro. I think he could be a great head coach," Tocchet told CSN Washington.

“Let’s put it this way: If I was an owner or a GM I’d find a way to get Adam Oates on my team. In my opinion, 85 percent of the league’s coaches are the same. Adam gives you that extra 15 percent that can put a team over the top.”

An outstanding playmaker during his career, Oates retired in 2004 after 19 seasons. He had 100 points four times and led the NHL in assists three times. He was the triggerman when Brett Hull had a record 86 goals in the 1990-91 season with the St. Louis Blues. He had 142 assists in 1992-93 while centering Cam Neely with the Boston Bruins.

Oates was not drafted. He signed with the Detroit Red Wings after playing three seasons at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. In addition to the Wings, Blues, Bruins and Capitals, Oates played for the Philadelphia Flyers, Anaheim Ducks and Edmonton Oilers. He finished his career with 1,420 points in 1,337 regular-seasons games.

He reached the Stanley Cup finals with the Capitals in 1998 and with the Ducks in 2004. Oates had 42 goals and 114 assists in 163 playoff games.